Apparatus for developing photographic films.



G. M. STEHLE.y I APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27| 1915.

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SnoQMIo/c Patented June 20, 1916.

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APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS. APPLlcArloN FILED APR. 21. 1915.

1,188,217. Patented June 20,1916.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

GEORGE M. STEHLE, OF MARIETTA, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR' DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS.

apparatus for developing photographic film when it is of great length, as 1n moving picture photography, and generally stated the object of my invention is to support the film for development, as upon-a reel, without the necessity of using flexible tape, or a flexible apron interposed between the layers of the film, and I provide such an apparatus which will be simple of construction and capable of easy and rapid operation, and-to this end and to others which` will be apparent to those vskilled in the art when they understand the naturev of my invention, such invention consists in the apparatus constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed. l l

In the accompanying drawings--Figure 1 is a View in side elevation with parts brokenI away to show what is behind them; Fig. 2. is a view partly in top plan, and partly 1n horizontal section; Fig. 3 is a detall View in cross section online 3-'3 of Fig. 2; Fig.

4 is 'a detail view, in perspective, of the feeding arm. I

My invention, embodied in what I now regard its best form, comprisesa revolving reel, upon which the film to be developed, is Wound and supported in a spiral, the adjacent coils of which are spaced apart so that they do not touch, and a feed or guide arm for the film, so supported that its feed,

or delivery end travels radially of the reel as the film is Wound into said spiral. For the support of these and vother parts, a frame 10 is used that generally is composed of two parallel, spaced bars, between which at one end, is mounted the reel 11, by a shaft 12 that rests on opposite sides of the reel in bearing or journal holes in the arm ends,

while-at the opposite end'of said frame is' a rod or shaft 13 upon which is supported for freely turning the roll14 of film to be developed.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Vthe groove has the contour Patented June 20, 1916.

Application led Apri127, 1915. Serial No. 24,194;`

f The reel` 11, has a cylindrical hub 11". whlch spaces apart the inner sides of thev reel, which sides are in the form of two duplicate fiat circular plates or disks 15. On the inner face of each disk is a spiral groove 16 lthat begins'at a point just beyond the circumference of the hub 14, and in an arc of constantly and uniformly in- -creasm radius, runs to the periphery of the dlsk. n cross-section the ridge formed by of a right angle a plane parallel and forming an abrupt upon which is adapted triangle', with one side in with the reel axis, ledge or shoulder to rest one edge of the film. The spirals in the two disks are made accurately to match eachl other so that a straight line drawn from the abrupt ledge, or shoulderof one lspiral at any point and parallel with the reel axis,

will touch a corresponding point in the opposite spiral that is exactly the same vdistance from the center ofthe reel, so that when a strip of film is seated at its opposite edges upon the supporting shoulders formed by opposite spirals, the strip will lie in a plane that 1s parallel with the axis of the reel and due to the spacing of the supporting ledges, or shoulders it willbe seen that a substantial air space exists between adjacent convolutions of the film wound upon the reel and supported by the spiral shoulders, kand by reason of the support of thelatter no apron, tape or other separating device'is required. To'4 facilitate the feeding of the advancing end of the film into the spiral I employ a curved guide 17 that leads from the reel hub in a curve of much more rapidly increasing space, or mouth is provided between the f extremity of said curved guide contiguous to the hub, and the nearest convolution of the lshoulder-forming groove 16, andI between the periphery o the hub and such nearest convolution there isla wide space, the purpose of which will appear hereinafter. he curved guide 417 may be conveniently made in the form of two `plates attached, respectively, to the inner sides of the disks 15, this construction being a convenient one because it' is desirable to enable one disk 15 tobe removed, or detached for the removal ofV the vdeveloped strip of film. For the readyremovaland replacement of one of said disks .it is prof los ' -m orderl to enable ythe ready couphng of the two together for eectin vided [with an axial `hole that ts over the yehoulderedend ofl a tubular' post, orshaft ,18, the duced portion of said post bein threaded andreceivin a clamping nut 1 Said post is tubular in .order that itvmayl` receive the reel shaft 12 and the shaft and Y y the reel are lrotatably connected together, -asbya radial pin on the shaft 12 that ages a radial notch or slot 21 in said ost, this being a convenient arrangement the rotation of the reel-by theshaft an yet allowing their separationfbyv the longitudinal withdrawal ofthe. shaft 12, as when it is desired to remove .the reel froml the machine. -Such j shaft 12 at one 'e'nd has a crank 22 by which 7 `the revolution iof the reel may be produced in the operationjofthe machine 4for winding,

the strip of film upon the reel.4

The strip of film from the roll 14 is led,

p orgguided therefrom by certain feed devices into the space between the disks of the'reel, and as said feed devices includean Varm with guides, that lie betweenl the, disks,f I buckle,

or curve the s t'rippf. film transversely at least for .that vportion of its length passing must 'jrest uponopposite' shoulders of the spirals of opposite` disks, the strip may, by reason of the contraction ofits width due to its bowing while in the .feed device, successfully be` fed to the reel supporting shoulders and after emergingl from said guide arm and fiattening out, vvwillreach across from edge to edge4 -vfrom the supporting shoulders of the spiral of one disk to the opposite supporting shoulder-'of the spiral of the other disk.

With this brief introductory explanation of the characteristics of the film-feeding mechanism, I-will explain the same more indetail as it is illustrated lin the drawings.

The strip of film passing from the roll 14 is carried over a guide roller 23 mounted to turn bloosely on a stationary shaft, or rod 24 supported by a bracket, or arm 25 suitably supported from the frame 10. To

the arm 25. is attached a pair of similar that the rib-like projections 31 ofthe feed@I -ing arm shall at all points of their travel` vin a radial direction be tangential to the bars 27 that thence extend forward and enter the Space between the two reel disks 15. At its forward end each bar 27 has upon its upper side a lug 28 having a horizontal' slit 29 that emerges at the forward end and the outer side of the arm through which slit passes the edge ofthe strip of film, the slit in its rear part inclining inward. In rear of said lug 28, andextending at a gentle incline upward and rearward, each bar 27 has a film guide in the form of a grooved strip 30, the distance between the guides being less than the width of the strip of film when flatbut with the result that the lm il bowed,I or curved transversely, and, hence, although normally in its fiat state trans versely the film is wider than the distance. between the faces of the reel disks 15, it will, nevertheless, pass freely between such disks, due to its bowed condition, brought@ about by the action of the guides 30, and yet emerging at the forward ends'of the arm 27 through the laterally opening slits there in the film will by flattening out assume itl wardly and `rearwardly `so as to provide space, or room for the strip after leaving e guides 30 to continuein the bowed, lor bent condition.

- Each of the lugs 28 on its outer side has a rib-like projection 31 that engages the 'Spiral groove of the contiguous reel disk-15, and" such projection is spaced from the slit 29 distance 1n correspondence with `the pitch ai: the spiral, and said rejection is abovm the sht so that, as. will seen2 each of th@ arms 27 by means of said projection being` in engagement with the spiral, will, as reel revolves, move .progressively outward in a radial direction and thereby the stri of -film will be positively directed, or fed into the spirals of the `reel as the revolution of the latter proceeds. It is, of course, under stood that the advancing end of the strip oi; film is connected in some suitable way to the reel. This may be simply donel by providmg the hub of the reel with a loop 32 on its periphery into which is caught the hooked end 33 of the strip of film. Such hookedl end may readily be provided by pointi the end of the film strip and folding bw the ointed end for a portion of its length so t at such pointed end will lie against the periphery of the hub under the con tiguous portion of the strip of film and? caught over the loop 32. Y

It is desirable for smooth and easy action convolutons of the spirals with which the engage, and this condition may be assu by having the feed arm throughout ita vlength move bodily without any" substantial change from a position tan nt to the curva;` y ofzthe spirals and this invo ves merely movably supporting the bracket, or arm 25 .n that it may move in unison with the riblike rojections 31 when they are moved radia ly by the action of the spirals. I may half, or split lint that may be disengaged, ina well known manner from lthe screw.

when it is desired to lower the feed arm after a reeling operation `so as to save the time` that would'be'involved in feeding it down by the revolution of the screw shaft. 'A'

convenient way of gearing the screw shaft to the reel shaft is shown inthe drawin s,

itV consisting of al bevel pinion- 37- on tl e lower end of the screw shaft which meshes with a like pinion 38 on ahorizontal shaft 39, which contiguous to the reel shaft has a beveled pinion 40 which meshes wlth a like pinion 41 on. the reel shaft. The bracket, or arm the "side opposite the location ofthe "'eed screw shaft may slidably4 engage an upright 42 for guiding it in its vertical movements. .v

In order to .facilitate the placing of the guide arms 30 in position between the reel sides and their removal therefrom, said bars by reason of having apivotal connection at the rear ends with the arm 30 may be swung toward andy from each other vand they are normally swung apart by means of a hair-pin spring 43 and they may be moved inward against the pressure of the vspring by means of the eccentric, or cam 44 having an operatmg upon an arm 3 that is attached toone of I the' bars and lies beneath the two bars so that as said cam engages the outer side of the bar to which said'arm is not attached the revolution of the cam by its handle in one direction will cause the two arms to approach each other and thereby reduce the space between .them suiciently to allow the forward film guiding ends of the bars to pass freelyA between' the reel sides while when moved in the opposite direction, vthe arms by the action of the spring 34 will spread apart until the outer sides of the film guides 30 are quite close to, or in actual contact with the disk sides.

From the description which I have now given of the construction and operation of the mechanism shown in the drawings to illustrate one embodiment of my invention, it will be seen'that my invention is susceptible of embodiment in an apparatus for mechanism whose construction is simple which'can be rapidly operated and which will place the film in condition for development rapidly and with they best results espeaccess of the developin handle 45 whichis-pivotedl g reel. i

tion rapidly diminishes.v

."ciall since the ladjacent convolutions of the lm when wound upon the reel are not in contact with each other, nor with any other object, but are exposed for complete fluid.' It will be evident that withthe splral winding of thefilm a great length of film may be accommodated in a smallwspace and that the length of the film to'be accommodated is dependent upon the diameter of the reel, which, of course, can be any diameter desired. While it is immaterial whether the film is bowed, or buckled up or down while passing through lthe-.feed arml between the reel'sides, it v1s preferred to bow the film with the emulsion side curved convexly,

lespecially as this results in supporting the Astri of filmat its edges upon the uncoated y sur ace of the celluloid. g

- It is, ofcourse, to beunderstood my invention'may be embodied in mechanisms of different construction and, therefore, it is to be understood that I do not restrict myposing ilm supportsl extending spiral y of the reel, saidcsupports being in the form of vopposing yledges upon the inner opposing sides of the reel .each of said spiral ledges ,being continuous, anda film guide situated vbetween the outer-edges ofopposing ledges and movable in afidirection radially of the 2." AS ,1s-impairment it am" 'handling aplliaratus, a film-receiving reel'having op- 'posing film supports extending spirally of the reel, the entrance point ofthe film being near the center of the reel and formed by a guiding surface that approaches the first convolution of the spiral in a direction that inclines outward whereby the distance between such surface and the first convolu 3. As an improvement in film handling apparatus', a film-receiving reel having opposing lm supports extending spirally of the reel, and a film guide tracking in the spiral path of the reel said guide having at its side a projection into said spiral path.

4. As an improvement in film handling apparatus, a film-receiving reel having opposing supports extending spirally of the reel, and a film guide situated between opposing spirals of the reel engaging the opposite edges of the film the distance between the film edge engaging parts of said guide being less than the distance between the opposite spiral film supports vwhere the latter engage th'e film, whereby the'latter may as- ,v sume"a bowed shape in cross section while apparatus, a

in said guide.

5. As an improvement in film handling apparatus, a film-receiving reel havin opposing supports extending spirally o the reel, and a film uide situated between opposing spirals o the reel engaging the opposite edges of the film whereby the latter may resume a bowed sha e in cross section while in said guide, an means whereby said film emerging from the guiding means may assume its flattened form transversely.

6. As an im rovement in film handling m-receiving reel havin opposing film sup orts extending spiral y of the reel, and a fi m guide comprising a movable arm having spiral-engaging means that engage the reel spirals and track therein.

7. As an im rovement in film handling apparatus, a film-receiving reel havin opl posing film ksup orts extending spiral y of the reel, and a'fi m uide comprising a xnovable arm formed o? a pair of guide-carrying bars that are movable toward and from each other.

8. As an improvement in film handling apparatus, a film-receiving reel having opposing film supports extending spirally of the reel, and a film guide comprisin a movable arm formed o a pair kof gui e-'carrying-bars that are movable toward and froml each other, each of said arms having on its outer side a spiral-engaging proJection.

9. As an im rovement in film handling.

apparatus, a fi n-receiving, reel havin opposing film supports extending spiral y of 40 the reel, and a film guide comprising a movable arm formed of a pair of guidecarrying bars that are movable toward and from each other, each of said arms having at its forward end a slit that extends from its inner side forward and outward and emerging at the forward end and side of the arm.

10. As an improvement in film handling apparatus, a film-receiver having opposite fi m-edge-engaging surfaces upon proJections that extend toward each other, and

means for feeding the film to Said surfaces having fhn-edge-engaging devices placed 'nearer together than the width of the film ceiving members between which the film is adapted to be wound, and a film ide comprising a movable arm formed o a pair of guide-carrying bars that extend at their iner ends into the space between said members, said bars extending outside the space between said members and pivoted to swing toward and from each other.

12. As an improvement in film handling apparatus a reel comprising spaced film receiving members between which the film is adapted to be wound, and a film guide comprising a 'movable arm formed of a pair of guidecarrying bars that extend at their inner ends into the space between said members, said bars extending outside the space between said members and pivoted to swing toward and from each other, and a spring acting normally to move said bars apart.

13.` As an improvement in film handling apparatus a reel, comprising spaced film receiving members between which the film is adapted to bewound, and a film uide comprsing a movable arm formed o a pair of guide-carrying 4bars that extend at their inner ends into the space between said members, said bars extending outside the space between said members and pivoted to swin toward and from each other and each o said bars having at its inner end a flange ena 'n ui in lug.

g gli esgtimong that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set m hand.

'GEQ QE M.'STEHLE. 

